Hanging By A Moment
by Cuinawen
Summary: Jeremy Gilbert has been Bella Swan's best friend ever since she can remember, and she's been in love with him for almost as long. When she gets hurt in Phoenix he rushes across the country to get to her with the help of Damon Salvatore setting events in motion that will change their lives forever. Bella/Jeremy pairing.
1. Chapter 1: Couldn't Make You See It

_**Hanging By A Moment, Chapter 1, Couldn't Make You See It**_

_I don't anything except the plot. Neither Twilight nor Vampire Diaries belong to me... they'd be pretty different if they did!_

_Still not abandoning any of my other stories, but I just couldn't resist writing more of the cuteness that is Jeremy._

* * *

**~*~I~*~**

_I was young but I wasn't naive_  
_I watched helpless as he turned around to leave_  
_And still I have the pain I have to carry_  
_A past so deep that even you could not bury if you tried_

Seventeen year old Bella excitedly sat on her bed in her room in Phoenix, her legs crossed, envelope clutched tightly in her hand. She knew exactly who the letter was from; her best friend Jeremy. Though best friend perhaps didn't accurately describe what he was to her.

They had met when they were children, in a town called Mystic Falls. A place where Bella had spent many summers and school holidays. An old friend of Renee and Charlie's, Liz Forbes, lived there and it also happened to be where Jeremy and his family lived.

Liz had a daughter, Caroline, who Bella got on well enough with despite her being older, but they weren't really into the same things and Caroline had her own friends already so Bella had usually been left to herself.

Then one day a another kid had spotted her at the park, and seeing her by herself had approached and asked if she wanted to play. It was a boy, just a month younger than her, but that hadn't mattered as they had formed an instant friendship.

That boy was Jeremy Gilbert and from then on, every time Bella was in town, they were inseparable the entire time. They had begun exchanging letters constantly, and though they had access to emails and instant messages as they got older, they both preferred to send letters through the post more often than not.

It had been more than ten years now since they'd met and Jeremy was still the best friend Bella had ever had, though things had changed a little for her in the last few years.

Bella had been teased many times as she grew up for never really showing an interest in boys, but what she had never told anyone was that she was interested, but only in a particular one. Through the years her feelings for Jeremy had changed and ever since she had been old enough to realise it, she knew that she had been in love with him.

It had killed her through summer last year, she had spent the entire month at his side, feeling like she was dying inside with the knowledge that the person she loved didn't love her back. Yet she never said anything to him, there was no way he felt the same about her, and she wouldn't ruin their friendship for anything.

Then on her last morning in Mystic Falls, Jeremy had come and found her. This was something he had always done, knowing she didn't like goodbyes. This time was different, though. He'd hugged her tightly like usual but then pulled back to look at her, his eyes sad. Before she could even think to question it he had dipped his head and kissed her.

It hadn't been anything dramatic, just a quick press of his lips on hers, but it had been sweet and perfect because it was _him_. Then she had found herself standing there still blushing as Jeremy took one last look at her and then bolted, his own cheeks pink.

A faint blush crossed Bella's cheeks at the memory.

That had been her first kiss, Jeremy's too for that matter. Neither of them had mentioned it afterwards though. Bella had followed Jeremy's lead on that one. She was too embarrassed to be the first to bring it up, and thought it was perhaps best if they waited until they were face to face to talk about it anyway, though the thought of talking about it made her squirm uncomfortably. Especially as she wasn't sure why he had kissed her, anyway. Surely, he didn't feel that way about her, he was always calling her his best friend after all…

Her mother Renee, and Liz had decided against a Christmas time visit last year, and then Renee had met Phil. In typical Renee fashion, she became so caught up in her new love life she didn't make time to visit Mystic Falls, and before Bella knew it, it had been more than nine months since she'd seen Jeremy.

Then the phone call came that had all but broken her heart. She had known instantly that something was wrong, as they rarely called each other given their preference to writing, but to have him sobbing down the phone as he told her both his parents had been killed in a car crash, well that was worse than anything she could have imagined.

She had stayed on the phone with him for hours that night, crying with him as he broke down completely. She hadn't been able to be there for him at the funeral, though Renee had at least come out of her '_new love_' haze long enough to help make sure there were flowers sent from them both.

As the summer holidays rolled around Renee had yet again decided not to visit Mystic Falls, so Bella was forced to stand by, unable to do anything as the letters and messages from Jeremy had slowed to nothing, and for the first time since Renee had met him, Bella found herself resenting Phil for his part in it.

It had felt like she was losing a piece of herself.

That was why she was so excited about this letter, it was the first she had received in weeks. Taking a sip of the drink she had brought with her before putting it on her nightstand, she settled back into her pillows to read.

_Izzy B,_

_Missing you so much right now, really need my best friend. Still can't believe everything that's happened._

_So, I'm sorry you never heard from me through the summer. Things have been kind of rough. Don't judge me as you're the only one I can talk to about all this… but I've been smoking… yeah I can imagine you rolling your eyes at me now, but it helps me._

_I started kind of seeing Vicki Donovan, you know, Matt's sister. Spent tons of time with her over the summer, I even told her I was falling for her but she told me that's not what she wanted and now she's decided she wants to get back with Tyler, which blows because he's a dick._

_I really like her, Izzy…_

Bella finished reading the letter and carefully folded it up, tears running down her cheeks as she did so.

Hearing about Jeremy with another girl felt like her heart was being ripped out. Especially someone like Vicki. She couldn't blame him for telling her about it though, no matter how much it hurt hearing it. She had no claim on him, and had never told him how she felt.

Swiping her sleeve across her face, Bella popped the letter neatly back into its envelope, with its little sketch of a swan right over where the flap was sealed down; something only Jeremy had ever done.

Getting up and crossing the room to retrieve a wooden box, she opened it up and tucked the letter inside with the others. No matter how much this letter had stung, she would keep it there, along with every letter he had ever sent her.

As she turned around her eyes landed on a picture he drew for her as a birthday gift for her last year.

They had been lying on the grass laughing while they cloud watched when someone had snapped a photo of it. Bella hadn't thought anything of it, until he had mailed his own faithfully drawn version of it to her just in time for her birthday. Though he had focused more on her, Bella loved the expression on his face in the picture, and it had been up in a frame on her wall ever since.

Scrubbing her face of any remaining tears, she sighed. Yes, it hurt a lot knowing that the way he saw her was so different to the way she saw him, but she couldn't imagine her life without him in it at all. No matter how painful it could be, it was Jeremy, and having him as her friend was worth it.

**~*~II~*~**

_After all this time_  
_I never thought we'd be here_  
_Never thought we'd be here_  
_When my love for you was blind_  
_But I couldn't make you see it_  
_Couldn't make you see it_  
_That I loved you more than you'll ever know_  
_A part of me died when I let you go_

"Hey Jenna," Jeremy greeted as he got home from school, coming through the door and swiping the envelope she was holding out to him, "Thanks."

Jenna Sommers shook her head fondly as Jeremy stopped in the kitchen for a drink and stuffed an apple into his mouth before disappearing up the stairs, letter in hand. He had to be the only teenage boy she'd ever heard of that actually liked writing letters, but then she knew he had been exchanging them with Bella ever since they were both old enough to write.

Tossing his school bag to one side as he finished the apple and threw the core into his waste paper basket, Jeremy popped the top on his soda. He took a swig and put it on his bedside table before he threw himself onto his bed, getting comfortable and eagerly ripping open the envelope.

He always looked forward to letters from Bella. Though emails and instant messages were obviously faster, and they did use both of them, they had both agreed that there was something nice about getting a letter in the post the same way they always had as kids.

Leaning against his pillows with his legs stretched out, he reached for his soda and swallowed another gulp, then settled in to read. Equal amounts of amusement and irritation washed over him as his eyes read over the name she always called him in her letters.

_Jerry G-_

_Missing you like always. It feels like forever since I've seen you._

_So Forks is as wet and boring as expected. The school is tiny and everyone knows everyone. I did meet someone kind of interesting, he's kind of weird though, one minute he wants to be my friend the next he doesn't. I don't really know what to make of him. He's sort of beautiful, all of his family are. He has adopted brothers and sisters, but it's weird because they are all pale and have the same unusual golden eyes. There's definitely something odd about them. I was nearly hit by a truck the other day. No panicking, I'm okay, Edward saved me…_

Jeremy sighed as he finished the letter. He knew Bella well enough to know that she _liked_this guy she was talking about, and the fact that she hadn't told him sooner that she was in an _accident_…

It felt to him like he was losing her. Though the truth was he never really had her, not in the way he wanted. It was an impossible situation that he had probably made a lot worse when he had kissed her and then never brought it up again.

It had been a dick move on his part, really. He never brought it up because he really wanted to talk to her about it face to face. That didn't matter though, because things had then gone from bad to worse in his messed up relationship with Vicki Donovan.

He rubbed a hand down over his face and sighed again. Vicki and Bella had never been friends, and in effect he had all but abandoned his friendship with Bella last summer in favour of someone who had never been anything better than unpleasant to her. When he thought about it in those terms he was surprised Bella would actually still talk to him.

Instead as soon as he'd gotten back in touch with her they had carried on writing just the same as ever and he had even told her about Anna, though he had avoided some of the finer details. He snorted to himself at that thought, only in this town could something like vampirism be considered a 'finer detail'.

Though the more he thought about it, the more Bella's description of this guy set his teeth on edge, something just seemed off about it, and after everything that had happened lately, he was inclined to go with his instincts.

Who could he talk to though? As much as they were somewhat friends these days, he couldn't imagine talking to Tyler about it, and he wasn't really close to anyone in the know about the supernatural things in town.

Maybe he would go to Damon, even though he could be a total dick at times. He hadn't gotten on well with the vampire previously, but they had been getting on better recently, and he would certainly offer a blunt, honest opinion if nothing else.

Coming to a decision, he got up and moved to his desk to write back to her. It was rarely more than a few days between letters recently, so he would wait and see what she said in her next letter before doing anything.

What he didn't know at the time was that there would be no more than a few days before his choices started to be taken away from him…

As he'd predicted, another letter arrived fairly quickly, only this time Jenna wasn't there handing it to him as he arrived home from school. Instead Jenna was in the hospital, recovering from a stab would that she'd been compelled to inflict on herself, though Elena had unsuccessfully tried to hide that little detail from him.

Now he was at the Boarding House, letter in hand as Damon finished cleaning up after_interrogating_ Mason Lockwood.

"Okay," Damon's voice rang out as he walked into the room, "Why do you look like someone pissed in your Wheaties this morning?"

Jeremy raised his head and glared at the vampire who held up his hands, palms out, in response.

"Alright, I admit that was a ridiculous question, with recent events. Maybe I should have asked why you look even more like someone pissed in your Wheaties than you did earlier… and I bet it's got something to do with that bit of paper you've got there."

Before Jeremy could react, Damon blurred over and snatched the letter from him, quickly skimming through it. He looked back at the teenager in front of him with a confused frown.

Jeremy looked at him for a long moment before he sighed heavily and reached into his bag, pulling out the previous letter he'd received from her and handing that to Damon to read too.

"This might help explain more, it's just… well, there's something off about this guy she's talking about."

"Mm hmm," Damon agreed as he read through both letters, "Something stinks, and I have my suspicions… but I don't understand what this is to you, who is this girl? Is she hot?"

Jeremy took a deep breath and looked up to meet Damon's gaze.

"I've known Bella since I was six," He swallowed and looked away, "And I've loved her for a long as I can remember."

Jeremy carried on speaking and Damon, instead of being his usual obnoxious self, bit back his usual sarcastic comments. Feeling unusually sympathetic, he just listened to the teenager talk about years of letter writing and summers spent with the girl. Only commenting dryly once he'd finished.

"So you've loved this hot chick for years, but you only kissed her the one time and never mentioned it again? You do realise you're an idiot, right?"

Damon smirked as Jeremy shrugged awkwardly.

"Yeah, I know I blew it," He answered quietly before looking up to meet Damon's amused eyes, "But that doesn't mean I don't still care, and there's something very wrong. I know it!"

Damon blew out a sigh and nodded. "Okay little Gilbert, I get it. She used to come in the summers right? Well there's nothing you can do right now unless something happens, so write to the girl and see if she's coming this summer. If she does I'll even help you talk to her, find out what's going on."

Damon's expression turned smug as Jeremy nodded in agreement. True it wasn't a perfect solution, Jeremy thought, but it was better than nothing.

**~*~III~*~**

_I would fall asleep_  
_Only in hopes of dreaming_  
_That everything would be like it was before_  
_But nights like this it seems are slowly fleeting_  
_They disappear as reality is crashing to the floor_

Ever since their discussion Damon had felt an odd kinship with Jeremy. Neither Stefan nor Elena were particularly enthused by it, but they had too much of their own drama to deal with. Especially as their ruse of pretending to have broken up had failed.

Katherine was still lurking around somewhere, but Damon honestly wanted as little involvement in that shit storm as possible. Katherine had made her feelings towards him perfectly clear, so had Elena for that matter, and he had no desire to be anyone's second choice.

The only thing he really regretted from that whole situation now was what he'd done to Jeremy. Little Gilbert was turning out to be half decent really, and it would have been a waste if he was no longer around.

The kid was far too forgiving really, Damon thought, though he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. He was good company, and a whole lot less depressing to be around than dear old Saint Stefan was.

He swallowed the last of the bourbon he'd been nursing, and put the glass on the table beside him with an irritated frown. All this thinking was getting boring, he needed something to do. He didn't have to wait long.

As if it had read his mind, his phone started buzzing in his pocket. Damon pulled it out and answered, not surprised to see Jeremy's name flash up on the screen.

"What can I do you for, Little Gilbert? It had better be good, you're interrupting some good Stefan-like brooding time…"

He trailed off as he didn't get the laugh he would have expected; Jeremy wasn't a huge fan of Stefan, sister's boyfriend or not.

"Okay Gilbert, what's wrong?" Damon asked realising something was wrong, he could tell the teenager was panicked now just from hearing his breathing.

"It's Bella, there's been an accident. She's in hospital."

"Where?" Damon jumped up from his seat and headed up to his room, pulling a travel bag from a cupboard.

"Phoenix."

"You're at home right?" Damon questioned as he quickly packed some clothes, "Pack a bag. I'll be on my way over in a minute and we'll go get your girl."

He hung up abruptly and finished packing, making sure he had enough for a couple of days as well as his keys and phone charger.

He couldn't really explain why he felt almost compelled to help Jeremy, but if nothing else it would break up the monotony of the last few days, and Gilbert was a good kid. Swinging his bag onto his shoulder and taking one last look around, Damon headed to his car.

If nothing else, it was something different to do, and if his suspicions about the girl's 'boyfriend' were correct there could be plenty of entertainment value ahead.

_Beep… beep… beep…_

Bella groaned softly, the familiar noise and the uncomfortable oxygen tube telling her exactly where she was. She wasn't certain if there was anywhere on her body that wasn't aching dully underneath the slight haze of painkillers in her system. Even drawing a breath sent pain shooting across her side.

Becoming aware of movement nearby, she forced her eyes open to see Edward slowly approaching her bedside. Though she kept her face neutral, inside she cringed at the harsh truth… that he wasn't the person she wanted to see.

She cared for Edward, she truly did, but in what she'd thought were her final moments, it hadn't been his face she'd pictured. Even after James had been dealt with and Edward had started drinking from her it still hadn't been his face in her mind as everything had gone black.

She had listened with an odd sense of detachment as Edward listed her injuries; one broken leg, four broken ribs, a fractured skull and countless bruises – definitely her most impressive hospital visit to date. She did feel a little sick though when Edward had complained that she smelt all wrong after the blood transfusion she'd needed.

James had been burned along with the studio, and Alice had apparently had fun staging a scene to back up their story of her going to meet Edward and Alice at the hotel and falling down some stairs and through a window.

A pervading feeling of wrongness was seeping into Bella as she lay there with Edward talking to her, and she had to remind herself to stay still and not flinch away as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. Fortunately Edward had taken the jump in her heart rate when his icy lips touched her as a good thing, and just smirked indulgently as he pulled away.

There was a slightly uncomfortable silence for a few moments and then Edward cocked his head and hurried back to sit in a chair in the corner of the room, slumping down and pretending to be asleep just as Renee entered.

Bella was acutely aware of him being there as she'd spoken to her mother, and it grated on her nerves, especially when Renee started asking questions about him thinking that he wouldn't hear. She hedged her answers as much as possible and then politely brushed off Renee's offer to come live in Florida without a second thought.

No matter what happened with Edward, she didn't want to go back to being her mother's caretaker again. She was painfully aware that Edward would assume she did it for him, but that couldn't be helped right now. Her relationship with Edward was something she'd have to consider seriously and soon, but now while she was lying in a hospital bed wasn't the time for it.

When Renee left, Bella had hoped Edward would just let her be for a while. Her brain was still fuzzy and she had a lot to try and think over. Instead, just as she thought, he picked up on the fact she had refused the offer to move, telling her that maybe she should have gone.

Irritated as he tried to force the decision on her, Bella finally snapped and looked him in the eyes asking, "If you're that tired of saving my life, why didn't you just leave the venom where it was and let me turn?"

Edward hissed furiously, making Bella flinch back against the pillows. She winced as the movement jarred her broken ribs and Edward backed away a step looking apologetic even as he told her Alice had no right to reveal information like that.

Bella bit her lip to stop herself from calling him a condescending dick, then grinned internally at the thought that Jeremy probably would have called him the same thing.

A low buzzing interrupted her thoughts and she looked up at Edward to see him pulling his phone from his pocket. He looked at the screen and shrugged, putting it back away without answering.

"Alice." He offered as a brief explanation, stepping forward and taking her hand. Bella nodded, wondering what had him looking so serious while he gazed down at her.

"You should have said yes to going to Florida," Edward told her suddenly, "It would be safer for you to be away from me."

"What exactly are you saying Edward?" Bella asked lowly, though she had a feeling she already knew where he was going with this.

"I'm dangerous for you to be around love, it would be safer for you if I left."

Bella sighed in irritation and eased her hand out of his grip. "So it's just your decision then?"

"Well yes." He looked at her almost confused, and Bella wondered just how much of a pushover she had been throughout their relationship for him to be this surprised at her reaction.

"My family and I would all stay away from you of course." He continued and a stab of pain went through Bella. Though she wasn't really in love with Edward, no matter how hard she'd tried to convince herself that she was, it hurt that he and his family would dismiss her so easily.

She looked at him, lost for words as he continued deciding her future, talking himself out of her life and prattling on about how it would be as if he'd never existed. She wondered for a moment whether he expected her to beg and plead for him to stay. She certainly wasn't going to give him the satisfaction if that were the case, no matter how much it was hurting.

The sound of the door swinging open caught her attention and she stared at the two faces there, absolute joy rushing through her as she recognised one of them.

"Jeremy?"

He grinned and winked at her, before looking at Edward, a furious expression on his face. "So, I've got to ask… what kind of dick breaks up with a girl while she's in hospital?"

The dark haired man next to him studied her appraisingly for a moment before also glaring at Edward as he spoke. "A _Cold One_. That's what kind of dick."

_After all this why_  
_Would you ever wanna leave it_  
_Maybe you could not believe it_  
_That my love for you was blind_  
_But I couldn't make you see it_  
_Couldn't make you see it_  
_That I loved you more than you will ever know_  
_A part of me died when I let you go_  
_That I loved you more than you'll ever know_  
_A part of me died when I let you go_

* * *

_Chapter title and song lyrics are from Blind ~ Lifehouse_

_Thanks as ever to Mommy4Thomas for being sounding board and beta, we got there in the end lovey! *Hands over requisite blue popsicle*_

_So, a new pairing for me, quite different from my usual so I hope you enjoy it._


	2. Chapter 2: In Your Name, I Find Meaning

_**Hanging By A Moment, Chapter 2: In Your Name, I Find Meaning**_

_I don't anything except the plot. Neither Twilight nor Vampire Diaries belong to me... they'd be pretty different if they did!_

_More Jeremy cuteness, plus a whole heap of Damon..._

* * *

_**Previously...**_

_She looked at him, lost for words as he continued deciding her future, talking himself out of her life and prattling on about how it would be as if he'd never existed. She wondered for a moment whether he expected her to beg and plead for him to stay. She certainly wasn't going to give him the satisfaction if that were the case, no matter how much it was hurting._

_The sound of the door swinging open caught her attention and she stared at the two faces there, absolute joy rushing through her as she recognised one of them._

_"Jeremy?"_

_He grinned and winked at her, before looking at Edward, a furious expression on his face. "So, I've got to ask… what kind of dick breaks up with a girl while she's in hospital?"_

_The dark haired man next to him studied her appraisingly for a moment before also glaring at Edward as he spoke. "_A Cold One_. That's what kind of dick."_

**~*~I~*~**

_The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight  
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time  
I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts  
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out_

Jeremy yawned and awkwardly stretched as much as he could in the confined space. Spending the better part of the last day and a half in the 'borrowed' car had taken its toll and he felt cramped and uncomfortable.

They had naturally headed to the airport first, but upon finding no available flights to Phoenix in the next day Damon had dragged a distraught Jeremy to the nearest car rental place and proceeded to 'rent' a car, without actually paying a penny of course. As Damon explained it, at least then they would have the option of flying back which they wouldn't if he drove his precious Camaro there.

It was worth it though, he reminded himself, thinking of Bella as he fidgeted in his seat. Charlie hadn't told Jenna that much when he'd called with the news, only that Bella was badly hurt after running off to Arizona because of her _boyfriend_. He ignored the stab of pain that went through him of that word in connection with Bella.

He'd called Charlie not long after they left Mystic Falls, confirming which hospital Bella was at and trying to get more information, but Charlie didn't have much to offer other than a healthy disgust for the boy Bella had apparently run away from.

He'd been even more on edge after talking to Charlie and had appreciated it when Damon hadn't spoken, instead just subtly speeding up, driving that little bit faster to their destination.

Jeremy had been wound tighter than a spring, but with the long hours in the car exhaustion had eventually taken over and he'd slept fitfully in the reclined front seat.

Damon had driven through the night, frowning heavily every time he thought about the phone conversation he'd listened in on. He hadn't said anything any time Jeremy was awake though, just continued turning everything over in his mind and not liking what he came up with.

He'd had a few dealings with Cold Ones over the years – you couldn't live as long as he had and not come across one eventually, and none of them had been particularly pleasant creatures.

Since when did Cold Ones mess around with humans? Apart from the fact that it was against their laws, their hunger was usually too great and their control far too limited. At times they were barely better than rabid animals, Damon thought, especially when blood was involved.

He'd had plenty of time to muse over it all on the long drive, especially while Jeremy had dozed restlessly next to him and something had eventually tickled at his memory. A Cold One he'd heard of a few times though never met. Rumour had it that this one fancied himself as father to a 'family' – insert mental snort here – of Cold Ones, and that the entire family called themselves 'vegetarians'. They dined exclusively on animal blood – cue even bigger snort – something unheard of for their breed.

It wouldn't surprise him if this Cold One he had heard of was involved somehow. It was a small world after all, if you believed Disney, and there really couldn't be that many of their kind that were able to actually mix with humans.

He was drawn out of his thoughts as Jeremy shifted, waking up next to him, and seeing an exit for a motel just ahead he made a snap decision and pulled off the freeway.

"Where are we going?" Jeremy asked, his voice rough from sleep and Damon smirked faintly.

"A motel. We getting close now, and it's been a day and a half in the car so I need to feed and you, well you really need to shower."

Jeremy flushed a little but nodded. He couldn't argue anyway, he felt grimy and his mouth felt like he'd been licking a carpet or something. Freshening up before he saw Bella was a good idea, and Damon definitely didn't need to be snacking at the hospital.

Waiting in the car as Damon compelled the manager to 'lend' them some room keys, he headed in for a necessary shower while Damon presumably hunted down his meal from one of the occupied motel rooms.

Damon returned shortly afterward and showered as well. It wasn't long before they were back on the road, this time heading right for the hospital that Charlie said they'd find Bella at.

Anxious for something to do as they approached the hospital, Jeremy pulled out his phone and sent a text to Jenna, letting her know he was okay and would be seeing Bella soon.

His aunt hadn't been keen on him coming all this way when he'd initially called as they were leaving the airport, but even without compulsion Damon was persuasive and she had eventually consented as long as Damon agreed to stay with him the entire time they were gone.

Elena had been less than pleased at her younger brother running off with Damon and when she called to tell him so, Jeremy had listened for a few moments as she berated him until cutting her off with a simple, "I love her."

He'd hung up in the silence that followed with a heavy sigh. He loved Elena, but she needed to realise that his decisions were his own to make.

He hadn't been able to dwell on it for long though as Damon's own phone call had cut into his thoughts. He had listened, trying hard not to laugh, as Damon had ordered his younger brother to get the spare key from his room and pick up the Camaro from the airport.

Stefan had obviously heard about what they were doing and tried to argue, but Damon had just laughed bitterly at him before saying that if Stefan thought Damon had made his life hell before, then he'd have a huge shock coming if he interfered at all. He'd ended the call abruptly, telling him to "Just pick up the damn car" and making Jeremy chuckle faintly.

Drawn out of his thoughts as they arrived at the hospital, Jeremy barely gave Damon time to park before he was out of the car and making his way into the building, Damon catching up to him and quickly compelling Bella's location out of the nearest receptionist.

Too impatient to wait for the elevator, Jeremy hurried up the stairs with Damon, both of them only slowing down as they reached Bella's floor.

Catching a voice that distinctly screamed _Cold One_ to him, Damon threw out an arm, stopping Jeremy in his tracks for a moment as he listened.

_"I'm dangerous for you to be around love, it would be safer for you if I left."_

Damon frowned as the Cold One spoke.

"He's saying he wants to leave her." He whispered, barely above a breath.

Jeremy scowled, straining to hear what was being said in the room just ahead of them.

_"Well yes… my family and I would all stay away from you of course."_

"I've heard enough." Jeremy hissed, striding toward the door to Bella's room, Damon right beside him as he swung it open.

"So, I've got to ask… what kind of dick breaks up with a girl while she's in hospital?"

**~*~II~*~**

_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing  
With a broken heart that's still beating  
In the pain, there is healing  
In your name, I find meaning  
So I'm holding on, I'm holding on, I'm holding on  
I'm barely holding on to you_

Jeremy stared at the boy… no, the _Cold One_ – whatever that was, that was trying to hurt his Izzy with disgust. He meant what he'd asked; only some kind of dick would break up with a girl while she was lying in a hospital bed.

Damon looked at the Cold One with some amusement, he could see the boy was trying to figure out what he was and how he knew about Cold Ones. Feeling a light pressure in his head he growled faintly and locked his mind down, a smug smirk flickering across his face at the obvious irritation this caused.

"Heads up little Gilbert," He said warningly, getting Jeremy's and Bella's attention, "This one's a mind-reader, keep your thoughts under control."

"This asshole seriously reads minds?" Jeremy asked Bella.

"Yes." Bella answered quietly, ignoring Edward's hiss. She didn't see any point in lying about it when they already seemed to know, or at least the strange dark haired man did anyway…

"Jer, who is that?" She whispered, pointing to Damon.

"That is Damon," Jeremy answered her, "He's a… friend… and a vampire."

Damon turned his head to wink conspiratorially at Bella as she looked at him confused. "I'm a _real_ vampire, sweet cheeks, not like the popsicle over there."

Edward hissed again, taking a step forward but hesitated as Damon fixed a glare on him. He was feeling oddly protective over the small human girl laying there, covered in wires and tubes.

"Weren't you in the middle of something, Frosty? Don't let us stop you from trampling all over the girl's heart." He sent another quick wink Bella's way, making her smile weakly despite the situation, "We'll just visit with her when you're done."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Edward demanded petulantly.

"We're friends of hers." Damon answered shortly, his patience with the eternally spoilt brat quickly running out.

"No you're not," Edward sneered, "If you were, I'd know about you. She said she didn't have any friends in Phoenix."

He stepped forward again, ignoring Damon's glare this time. "Who are they Bella? How do you know them?"

Bella shifted trying to straighten herself up, and let out a gasp of pain as her ribs protested the movement. Edward narrowed his eyes as his gaze fell on Jeremy taking her hand comfortingly.

Bella noticed his reaction and it only fuelled her growing anger. "It's none of your business, Edward. Damon is right, you _were_ in the middle of breaking up with me… well, consider us finished. I think you should just leave now."

"I won't leave you here with this dangerous creature… and this boy with his unclean thoughts. You need to come back to Forks with us."

Bella looked at Jeremy and couldn't help snickering a little as he shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Am I safe with you both, Jer?" She asked softly, trusting his word completely.

Jeremy nodded, squeezing her hand lightly before scowling at Edward. "If you must know, asshole, I've known her since we were six. You've known her all of five minutes and you think you know everything? You really are a condescending dick."

Bella let out a muffled snort at that, she'd known when she'd thought that exact same thing earlier that it was something Jeremy would be likely to say.

Jeremy grinned at her before his expression turned serious. "Don't worry Iz, you don't have to do anything this asshole says."

Growling furiously, Edward moved towards the teenage boy until Damon blocked his way. "Easy there sparkles, _I bite_. The girl there is perfectly safe from me, but you… not so much. Now, I believe she wanted you to leave, I'm sure little Gilbert does too, and I _know_ I do."

"I _won't_ leave you with them, Bella. They're vile and uncouth, and being around this _vampire_is just not safe for you."

Bella flinched at his raised voice and Damon, seeing it in his peripheral vision, snarled lowly, veins appearing faintly around his eyes as his fangs extended. To his surprise though Bella steeled herself, taking a deep breath and looking her ex in the eye.

"Being around you wasn't safe for me either, Edward, but that never stopped you from creeping in my room at night."

Jeremy's grip on her hand tightened, but Bella kept her eyes on Edward. "I never realised what a hypocrite you are. Whatever we had is over, just like you wanted! Now, you need to give me what I want for once and just leave."

Damon smirked before moving over to the door, opening it and pointing the way out mockingly. "You heard the girl."

His words were light, but there was an underlying threat to them that had Edward looking at Bella one last time before quickly exiting the room.

Damon watched through the doorway as Edward disappeared as fast as he could without drawing attention from the humans, and then closed the door. He turned back to the other two and his smirk widened as he saw them just gazing at each other.

He coughed lightly, smothering a laugh as they both jumped and looked at him. His humour quickly faded though as Bella looked between the two of them, her eyes filling with tears as everything started to catch up with her.

"Hey," Jeremy soothed her, rubbing her hand and wishing he could hug her without hurting her, "I'm here, it'll be okay."

Bella suppressed a sob, whimpering at the bright flare of pain in her side as it aggravated her broken ribs.

"Oh Iz…" Jeremy sighed and then her tears spilled over.

Edward leaving her so suddenly was cutting her deeply. It hurt being abandoned despite her not being completely in love with him, and now combined with having Jeremy in front of her – the one person she wanted but couldn't have – looking at her the way he was, it was too much.

Damon didn't say anything as he usually might have, instead he just silently stood watch at the door for a few moments while Jeremy comforted his girl.

When her sniffles had died down, he turned back to the two teenagers, eying Bella in particular with an unusually gentle smirk on his face.

"Now that you're all cried out sweet cheeks, what do you say we get to making you feel a whole lot better?"

Bella's amazement had been entertaining for both males as Damon explained some details about his kind of vampire, or the _real kind_ as he put it. Jeremy had also found it interesting to really see how much Damon embraced being a vampire and all that came with it.

Unlike his younger brother, Damon was comfortable in his own skin, at ease with his existence. After Stefan's tortured soul routine, and Elena so often being all _'poor _me', it was actually refreshing to be around someone who truly enjoyed life.

"So let me get this straight," Bella asked a little warily, "If I drink some of your blood it will heal me… but I won't turn into a vampire?"

Jeremy nodded as Damon smirked, "Not unless you die with my blood in your system, sweet cheeks."

"But I hate blood." She protested weakly, though after her experience with James a little blood somehow didn't seem a big deal like it once would have.

Common sense won out though, aided by the dull throb of her head, and the sharp ache of her cracked ribs and shattered leg. She eventually looked at Jeremy and nodded her agreement.

"Okay, Jer, if you say it will help me…" Jeremy gave her an encouraging smile and she looked over at Damon shyly. "How do you want to…?"

Damon chuckled, amused by her guilelessness. "Let's keep things simple," He suggested moving closer and giving her an overly flirtatious wink, "It being our first time and all."

Jeremy snorted as Bella giggled softly at his playful teasing, her cheeks flushing pink.

"There was me thinking I'd at least get a date before my first time…" Bella joked making Damon laugh.

"So you and sparkles never…?"

"God no," Bella replied, not noticing how closely Jeremy was paying attention to her answer, "He never even really kissed me, not properly anyway…he said it was _'too dangerous'_ for him to."

Still looking at Damon, Bella missed the pleased expression on Jeremy's face, though Damon noticed, biting back a smirk.

"Hmm." He murmured then stepped to Bella's side, effectively changing the subject.

"Right then, now I'll bite, and then I want you to drink up until it closes. Got that, sweet cheeks?"

Bella nodded, her stomach rolling a little. She flinched at the crunching sound as Damon bit down, but did as he said and started drinking the minute he pressed his bloody wrist to her mouth.

It wasn't so bad really she thought. Not coppery tasting like she'd expected, instead it was more rich and earthy, and as she swallowed it felt like it was warming her from the inside.

The relief was almost immediate as the throbbing in her head quickly dulled, and the pain elsewhere began to slowly leach away. Pulling away as the wound closed she licked her lips and smiled at the two males watching her before focusing on Damon.

"Thank you."

The simple heartfelt words touched Damon as he looked down at her, and he couldn't help his soft response as he patted her hand.

"You're very welcome, sweet."

Turning abruptly, he made for the door, biting out a quick _"I'll be back soon"_ as he left the room.

**~*~III~*~**

_I'm hanging on another day  
Just to see what you throw my way  
And I'm hanging on to the words you say  
You said that I will be OK_

_The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone  
I may have lost my way now  
Haven't forgotten my way home_

Damon stopped in the doorway as he arrived back at Bella's room and couldn't help a small smile at the sight in front of him.

Bella seemed to be feeling better since the dose of blood, as she was now completely sitting up, propped against some pillows. While Jeremy was bent over her leg, using a marker he gotten from god knows where to draw on her cast, as he chatted away to her. Bella was still looking a little sad, and was quiet as Jeremy talked, but she looked a lot more relaxed and calm than she had earlier.

It should have been sickeningly sweet, Damon thought as he watched them, but somehow he found it oddly heart-warming. He shook his head at himself, how in the hell had he developed such a soft spot for these two kids?

He could blame at least part of it on the entertainment value though; he'd known Jeremy was in love with the girl already, and she obviously loved the boy in return – he'd been able to tell that within minutes, yet each were utterly clueless to how the other felt. It was like a bad soap opera in its inevitability, yet strangely compelling.

It was unusual, especially lately, for him to be around people when there were no games, no ulterior motives. Even with Stefan it had always felt like a constant game of trying to get one over on each other, and Damon was honestly getting tired of it.

These two with their openness, and their genuine affection were a nice change of pace.

He was drawn out of his thoughts as Bella glanced over, spotting him there and smiling shyly at him.

Noticing Bella shift, Jeremy looked up and grinned as his gaze landed on the takeout bag in Damon's hand. Rolling his eyes at the typical teenage boy food fixation, Damon handed it over, and then watched surprised as Jeremy immediately divided the food, keeping a burger and some of the fries for himself and giving the second burger and the rest of the fries to Bella who dived in gratefully.

"Oh thank god," She moaned as she bit into her burger, "The food here sucks."

Waiting until they'd nearly finished, Damon spoke to Bella suddenly. "Did you have much stuff with you, anything important?"

Bella thought for a moment. "Just some clothes and stuff."

Damon shook his head, sighing explosively. "I followed your ex's trail… he checked out of the hotel, he hasn't left you with anything here."

Bella felt like she'd been kicked. She would have at least expected Alice or Jasper to make sure she got her things, even if Edward was behaving like a spoilt child. To leave her here in Phoenix with no clean clothes, no money…

She shook her head, fighting back the tears that sprang to her eyes and completely missing the loaded look Jeremy and Damon exchanged over her head before Jeremy took one of her hands.

"It's okay, we'll make sure you're alright." He said softly.

Damon walked over to the other side of the room and grabbed the extra chair there, bringing it over so could sit down at Bella's bedside.

"Okay Sweet cheeks, time to spill your guts. If I'm going to help you, then I need to know_everything_."

Bella nodded, her cheeks pale as she looked at him. Reliving it all was the last thing she felt like doing, but he was right. If he was offering to help her, then along with Jeremy she owed him the complete story.

Starting from the beginning, Bella told them how she had moved to Forks and noticed the Cullens, quickly realising there was something strange about them. Damon had frowned heavily as she explained the following events, describing how Edward's actions had been confusing, how he'd blown hot and cold with her.

It sounded like an elaborate game of cat and mouse to Damon, played specifically to draw Bella in, and it bothered him. It sounded a little too much like Katherine's mind games for his liking.

When Bella got the part where Edward had confessed to sneaking into her room every night, Jeremy swore profusely while Damon growled and stood up, crossing the room to the window.

"Let me guess, he had you so wrapped up by then that you didn't even get angry."

Bella nodded, feeling ashamed at Damon's words. "I don't even know why, I should have been disgusted with him… the thought of it makes me feel sick now…"

Damon nodded, unsurprised. "Their kind can't compel people like my kind can, but they have their own methods, some sort of toxin in their scent, or so I've heard. Given long enough, he could easily have had anyone eating out of his hand, agreeing to anything he said."

He turned back from where he'd been watching out the window and looked at Bella. "It's not your fault sweet cheeks, so don't blame yourself. He played a game with you that you had no chance of winning. Keep going now, we still need to know how you ended up here."

Bella nodded as Jeremy squeezed her hand comfortingly, and began to speak again. This time neither of them made a sound until she'd finished, ending with waking up here and Edward ending things with her.

"So, have I got this straight?" Jeremy spoke, glancing toward Damon worriedly, "They killed this guy who chased you all the way here wanting to eat you, but left his two friends alive… real smart that is by the way… then that dick decided to just leave you high and dry?"

"Yeah, that's about it." Bella whispered, tears threatening to spill over again.

He directed another worried look at Damon. Surely these other two Cold Ones were not going to just forget about the third one's death… Bella would be the easiest and most obvious target to take it out on. Especially now that Cullen asshole had pulled his breaking up shit on her.

Damon ran a hand through his hair, thinking quickly. He hadn't really thought past bringing little Gilbert here, had never planned on getting too involved, but something in Bella reminded him of his younger self. She had never asked to be played and manipulated, just like he hadn't.

Since being turned Damon had never been above playing with people himself, but he had rules, morals – however loose they might be – and you didn't play games with the heart, and especially not with innocents like Bella.

Playing at being in love was something he would never have done, never have stooped to, no matter how bad others considered his feeding habits. Nor would he put someone he'd professed to care about in this kind of danger and then just leave them there.

Again he was reminded of Katherine's little games and as he looked at the fragile looking girl in the bed, holding on to Jeremy's hand like it was keeping her afloat, and it probably was, his mind was made up.

"Okay, sweet cheeks. You know you can't stay in… where was it, again… Forks, right? This Victoria, and the other one, whatever his name is, can find you there in a heartbeat if they choose to… and they most likely will choose to."

Bella nodded, wondering what he was getting at, though Jeremy grinned faintly, having a vague idea.

"Well here's what I think. We head back to this Forks, get you all packed up and then you'll come back to Mystic Falls with us. You can still go to school, all that normal teenager stuff, and you'll stay at the Boarding House where we can protect you."

"Boarding house?"

"It's where I live… with my brother, but you don't need to worry about him."

Bella inhaled sharply at the thought of being that close to Jeremy every day, even just as his friend, not to mention the fact she would never feel safe in Forks again. "You'd actually let me live with you? Why?"

Damon shrugged a little uncomfortably. "Why not? Look sweet cheeks, I'm not known for being a good guy… but what do you know, I actually quite like you. I don't like many people, and I definitely don't help many people, but you need it and I'm in a position to give it."

He smirked then, "Besides, little Gilbert here is one of the few I consider a friend, so I'm saving him from having to _beg_ me."

Bella looked at Jeremy who nodded eagerly, his eyes bright at the thought of Bella actually being in Mystic Falls where he could see her every day.

"Okay," Bella answered after a moment, "I'll come to Mystic Falls with you."

_I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing  
With a broken heart that's still beating  
In the pain, there is healing  
In your name, I find meaning  
So I'm holding on, I'm holding on, I'm holding,  
I'm barely holding on to you_

* * *

_Chapter title and song lyrics are from Broken ~ Lifehouse_

_Thanks as usual to Mommy4Thomas for being sounding board and beta, big blue popsicle for you lovey._

_My first time writing quite so much Damon, hope I did him justice._

_This story and all my others can be found at my Wordpress site (link on my author page) as well as extra odds and ends. I also update there before I update here._


End file.
